Budget cuts could kill environmental programs

Eager to slash taxes and restrain government spending, Gov. Rick Scott and Republican budget-cutters in Congress are seeking to chop big chunks of state and federal funding for programs designed to preserve the natural environment.

Government regulations to clean the air and water and prevent global warming are under attack. Even Everglades restoration, long a sacred cow for environmentalists and leaders of both political parties, may fall victim to the budget ax.

A Republican spending bill passed by the U.S. House this month sets up a confrontation over environmental spending when the U.S. Senate takes up the legislation this week. And in Tallahassee, Scott's austere budget, which would cut Everglades spending by nearly two-thirds, will be tested when the Legislature meets next month.

Republicans in each capital called for sacrifice to prevent a yawning state budget gap and to ease the national debt.

"We believe in Everglades restoration. But we are facing a serious financial emergency in this country," Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in an interview last week. "There are a lot of worthy projects that are not going to get funded at the level they should be funded. And there are a lot of worthy projects that are not going to get funded at all."

But the clash over environmental spending goes beyond money matters and reflects an underlying dispute between Democrats, who stress pollution control, and Republicans, who warn against government rules that stifle the economy.

"Often times, agencies that are regulating industries see the industries as the enemy, not as a partner in a joint endeavor," Rubio said. He called for a balance between "the desire to protect our natural environment with the necessity of having positive economic growth."

State cuts

Florida has a long heritage of environmental activism by both political parties largely because its economy depends on beaches, waterways, relatively clean air and natural splendors, which draw tourists, new residents and businesses. The Everglades has become a symbol and centerpiece of ecosystem restoration in Washington as well as Florida.

Scott signaled a startling new approach by proposing a budget that would reduce Everglades spending from $50 million this fiscal year to $17 million next year. State funds for the 'Glades already have dwindled from a peak of $200 million in past years.

The governor also proposed trimming the environmental protection budget by $148 million and reducing funds for the Department of Community Affairs, which manages growth and development, from $779 million this year to $110 million next year.

Scott also proposed zero funding for Florida Forever, a conservation program that buys land to turn into parks and wildlife refuges. The program already has been battered by the housing bust, which reduced its funding source from real-estate taxes and bonds.

Perhaps most significant, Scott directed water management districts to reduce their budgets by 25 percent to help fulfill his campaign promise to rein in property taxes. That will squeeze the South Florida Water Management District, which oversees most of the state's Everglades restoration work.

"That's a killer," said Eric Draper, executive director of Audubon of Florida. "We are very concerned that when these water districts have to cut their budgets by that much money, Everglades restoration will be the first victim."

Scott did not mention the Everglades or the environment when he presented his "Jobs Budget" on Feb. 7. He did say, "There will be many special interests that will decry cuts to their favorite programs. But we must remember that for the sake of our grandchildren's futures, we must get spending under control today."

Federal cuts

Soon after Scott unveiled his plans, the U.S. House voted to drastically scale back federal spending for the remainder of this fiscal year, with environmental programs taking some of the biggest hits.

The legislation — a Continuing Resolution to keep agencies funded, which must clear Congress by March 4 to avoid a government shutdown — indicates the priorities of the new Republican majority in the House.

It would increase spending on defense by 2.6 percent for the remainder of this year and trim homeland security money by 4.2 percent. By contrast, the Interior Department budget and environmental-related spending would be cut by 23 percent, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The construction budget for the Army Corps of Engineers — which pays for Everglades restoration — would be cut by nearly one-fourth, or $441 million nationwide.

The House bill would also gut spending designed to curb air pollution, slice 29 percent from the Environmental Protection Agency and de-fund the agency's ability to regulate emission of greenhouse gases.

A Clean Water Revolving Fund to help states pay for wastewater treatment and prevent water pollution would be whacked by 67 percent. Florida's share would be cut by $47 million, according to House Democrats.

The bill also includes an amendment by U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney, R-Tequesta, to de-fund EPA's enforcement of new water pollution standards in Florida. Republicans and some Democrats in the state say the standards are too costly for communities to meet and would stifle Florida's economic recovery.

Rubio plans to push the same amendment in the Senate.

"It is having a chilling and frightening impact on our agriculture industry," Rubio said. "One of the tools Congress has to prevent things like this from going into effect is to basically say we are not going to fund the implementation of these sorts of onerous regulations that have such negative impact on our state."

Jobs, jobs, jobs

He and other Republicans say some of these environmental restrictions not only cost millions to enforce but restrain the growth of businesses and the jobs they create. Their overriding concern is the growing national debt.

"If we want to create jobs, we have to spend less and borrow less," said U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, a member of the Appropriations Committee. "For a project to get money, it's going to have to show that it's essential, that it creates jobs and, obviously, that we can afford it."

Environmentalists say Everglades restoration meets that test by generating massive public-works projects that preserve a delicate ecosystem while also creating work for a host of engineers and construction workers.

"If Everglades restoration construction takes a big hit, it's inevitable that some projects screech to a halt and we end up with layoffs in the private sector," warned Kirk Fordham, CEO of the Everglades Foundation, based in Miami.

"We understand this is a time of sacrifice, and we are willing to do our share," Fordham said, "but we don't think Everglades restoration should take such a disproportionate cut compared to other priorities."